Native Irish species face extinction

BUTTERFLIES, freshwater pearl mussels and salmon are among the native Irish species under severe threat, and in some cases facing extinction, according to a major Europe-wide report.

A survey, the first of its kind, looked at how more than 1,150 species and 200 habitat types protected under EU legislation were faring in 25 member states.

It found the survival chances had improved for only a small proportion of species over the five years to 2006. More than half the species were facing a very uncertain future, while the report was optimistic for only 17% of species.